Publications by authors named "J M Stanhope"
Drivers of human infection in the Pacific Islands: A systematic review.
Epidemiol Infect
October 2024
Article Synopsis
- Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease that is increasingly threatening public health, particularly in Pacific Island communities, where local factors influencing infections are not well understood.
- A systematic review of 42 studies revealed that human infections in the Pacific Islands are linked to sociodemographic, lifestyle, and environmental factors, such as male gender, Indigenous ethnicity, heavy rainfall, and interactions with animals.
- Suggested prevention strategies include improving disease reporting, enhancing community water safety and rodent control, public health campaigns, and specific occupational safety measures in regions like New Zealand where work-related exposures are common.
Humans have evolved in direct and intimate contact with their environment and the microbes that it contains, over a period of 2 million years. As a result, human physiology has become intrinsically linked to environmental microbiota. Urbanisation has reduced our exposure to harmful pathogens, however there is now increasing evidence that these same health-protective improvements in our environment may also be contributing to a hidden disease burden: immune dysregulation.
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- Clear definitions are essential for effective communication among health practitioners, policymakers, and the public regarding the term 'green prescription' as it has multiple meanings.
- The term has been used since 1997 mainly to refer to written prescriptions for lifestyle changes like physical activity, but since 2014, it has also been associated with exposure to nature.
- The study found that this inconsistency can lead to misinterpretations of research, and it recommends sticking to the original definition for 'green prescriptions' while suggesting the term 'nature prescriptions' for nature-related recommendations.*
The pandemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus responsible for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has brought with it many changes in the way with live, work, and socialise. One such change is an increase in the use of videoconferencing for communication with friends, family and work colleagues, and doing presentations, while physically distancing. We demonstrate an increase in the use of ring lights during the pandemic, and argue that this increased exposure to blue light may lead to a growing burden of macular degeneration in coming years.
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